272 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  19,  1901. 
Hpscellaneons  Bulbs. 
Those  familiar  bulbous  flowers,  Tulips,  Hyacinths,  and  Daffodils, 
are  so  generally  grown  that  I  fear  we  often  overlook  the  charms  <  f 
many  other  delightful  flowers  which  may  easily  be  obtained  by 
planting  a  few  bulbs  at  a  suitable  season.  September  arrives,  an  > 
we  begin  to  seriously  scan  the  bulb  lists  to  make  our  final  selection 
of  the  good  things  to  be  ordered  ;  the  showy  flowers  already  enumerate  i 
are  perhaps  purchased  by  the  thousand,  for  experience  has  taught  u 
they  will  annually  give  a  brilliant  display.  We  cannot,  indeed 
dispense  with  them,  but  it  is  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  variety  ha- 
charms  which  appeal  to  all.  At  no  time  in  the  history  of  gardening 
has  the  craze  for  variety — any  flowering,  plants — been  so  pronounced 
as  it  is  to-day,  and  the  most  famous  gardens  are  those  which  are  wel. 
stocked  with  flowers, 
plants,  and  fruits  of 
varied  types.  The 
newest  among?the  new 
are  there  associated 
with  old  favourites,  so 
that  there  shall  be  no 
lack  of  interest  as  well 
as  brilliancy. 
In  this  brief  note  I 
will  endeavour  to  give 
prominence  to  a  few 
good  things  often  over¬ 
looked  when  bulbs  are 
ordered,  but  which  are 
^  enerally  welcomed 
when  seen  in  a  neigh¬ 
bour’s  garden.  I  will 
not  tie  myself  down  to 
the  stern  rules  | which 
guide  the  botanist  in 
determining  a  true  bulb, 
but  will  include  corms 
and  tuberous  roots  as 
well.  The  double  and 
single 
French  Anemones 
ought  to  be  grown  in 
every  garden  (see  the 
illustration  on  p.  264), 
as  they  are  equally  wel  1 
adapted  for  beds  or 
borders.  When  grown 
in  the  former  it  is 
usually  necessary  to  lift 
the  corms  and  dry 
them  off  after  flower¬ 
ing  ;  but  when  clumps 
are  formed  in  mixed 
borders  they  succeed 
best  when  left  undis¬ 
turbed  for  three  or  four 
years ;  by  that  time 
they  generally  need 
thinning  out  and  re¬ 
planting.  Rich  well-  FREESIA  REFRACTA 
worked  soil  is  necessary, 
and  6  inches  apart  and 
3  inches  in  depth  are  suitable  distances  to  plant.  The  double  scarlet 
is  especially  good  for  beds  where  spring  gardening  is  an  important 
feature  in  the  flower  garden.  The  well-known  A.  fulgens  is  also 
a  gem  for  the  same  purpose.  The  giant  varieties  should  be  planted 
somewhat  further  apart.  October  and  November  are  the  best  months 
to  plant.  St.  Bridget  Anemones  are  fortunately  now  quite  popular, 
and  deservedly  so,  as  when  once  established  they  will  often  flower 
throughout  the  autumn  and  winter  months  if  mild  weather  prevails. 
A  few  years  ago  I  saw  a  grand  row  of  them  in  Lord  Leigh’s  fine  old 
gardens  at  Stoneleigh  Abbey,  when  the  late  Mr.  Beddard  had  charge 
there,  and  I  doubt  not  that  under  Mr.  Martin’s  care  they  are  equally 
satisfactory. 
Ranunculus. 
How  seldom  c  ne  meets  with  a  really  gocd  collection  of  Ranunculus, 
and  yet  I  know  of  no  hardy  flowers  more  strikingly  beautiful  during 
April  or  May.  Last  spring  I  admired  a  fine  collection  in  Lord 
W  illoughby  de  Broke’s  garden  at  Kineton  House  in  Warwickshire. 
Some  of  the  flowers  were  like  double  Begonias,  and  their  tints  were 
quite  as  novel.  1  noted  down  the  names  of  the  best,  but  my  notes 
often  have  a  knack  of  disappearing  when  wanted  ;  they  have  played 
me  false  again.  Mr.  Hall,  the  head  gardener,  informed  me  that  he  had 
no  difficulty  in  growing  them,  although  the  soil  was  naturally  stiff,  as 
he  mixed  old  hotbed  manure  freely  with  it  each  year,  and  atter 
flowering  lifted  the  tubers  and  dried  them  thoroughly.  Both  Persian 
and  Turban  varieties  are  thoroughly  worthy  of  being  grown  ;  the  la1  ter 
are  the  stronger  growers. 
Tritonias. 
Although  at  the  time  of  writing,  Montbretias  (Tritonias)  are  in  full 
flower,  it  is  not  too  early  to  order  bulbs,  as  they  ate  usually  delivered 
during  the  autumn.  I  sometimes  think  that  if  these  elegant  “  spiky  ” 
flowers  were  choice  exotics  we  should  admire  them  even  more  than  we 
do  now,  but  they  are  perfectly  hardy,  and  if  planted  during  autumn  or 
spring  in  fairly  good  soil,  they  soon  increase  and  form  a  thick  mass. 
In  August  and  September  their  flowers,  when  cut,  delight  the  floral 
decorator,  and  a  mass  or  clump  flowering  in  the  garden  is  a  glorious 
sight  indeed.  Equally 
suitable  also  are  they 
for  growing  in  pots.  A 
plan  I  have  often  prac¬ 
tised  is  to  pot  up  a 
number  of  bulbs  during 
the  autumn  and  plunge 
them  in  ashes  in  the 
open  air.  When  growth 
is  a  few  inches  in 
length,  remove  some  of 
the  ashes,  so  that  the 
rim  of  the  pot  is  just 
covered.  They  can  then 
be  left  in  the  open  air 
till  the  flower  spikes 
appear,  then  place  them 
under  glass.  When  in 
flower  they  are  highly 
attractive  for  conserva¬ 
tory  decoration.  After 
flowering  the  clumps 
succeed  splendidly  if 
planted  in  the  open  air. 
Crocosmae  flora,  Eldo¬ 
rado,  Elegans,  Trans- 
cendant  Pottsi,  and 
Phare,  vermilion,  are 
all  fine  varieties.  In 
the  beautiful  pleasuie 
grounds  of  C.  A.  Smith- 
Ryland,  Esq.,  Barford 
Hill,  near  Warwick, 
there  are  many  fine 
clumps  of  Montbretias, 
and  yet  Mr.  R.  Jones, 
the  head  gardener,  is 
constantly  increasing 
his  stock. 
Ixias  and  Irises. 
Ixias,  how  the  word 
brings  to  our  minds 
visions  of  slender  spikes 
carrying  beautifully 
marked  flowers.  By 
ALBA.  (See  page  267.)  potting  up  bulbs  in  4 
and  5-inch  pots  from 
October  to  January  a 
succession  of  showv  flowers  may  be  obtained.  If  they  are  potted  in 
good  loam,  with  a  plentiful  addition  of  leaf  soil  and  sharp  sand,  and 
are  given  cool  treatment,  no  difficulty  should  be  experienced  in  their 
culture.  They  also  succeed  well  in  the  open  air  in  a  warm  sunny 
position,  if  given  slight  protection  during  severe  frosts. 
Spanish  Iris  have  for  some  years  been  extremely  popular,  as  their 
flowers  are  as  showy  and  beautifully  marked  as  many  Orchids,  and 
being  borne  on  loDg  stems  they  are  splendidly  adapted  for  use  in  a 
cut  state.  They  succeed  well  in  the  open  air  or  when  grown  in  po's, 
and  being  exceedingly  cheap  are  within  the  reach  of  all.  In  whatever 
situation  they  are  grown  they  should  be  potted  or  planted  during 
October  or  November.  When  grown  in  pots  they,  of  course,  need 
plunging  like  other  bulbs,  and  as  soon  as  growth  is  a  couple  of  inches 
in  length,  if  transplanted  to  a  greenhouse  or  cool  pit,  they  come  on 
steadily,  provided  they  are  kept  near  the  glass  ;  if  placed  far  from  it 
they  sometimes  grow  weakly,  and  fail  to  flower  well.  Early  batches 
may  be  brought  on  in  gentle  heat,  but  they  dislike  sharp  forcing. 
During  bright  weather  an  occasional  syringing  is  of  great  benefit. 
The  following  are  all  good,  distinct  varieties: — British  Queen,  pure 
